Electric

The easiest way to save on your electrical bill is to get smart with how you use electricity. Make the smart choices below, and save up to $500 a year on your power bill! Turn off the lights – if you’re not using them, shut them off and save. Use natural lighting – South-facing windows provide especially great illumination throughout the day. Use lamps and task-lighting – If you’ve got lamps, track lighting or under-counter lighting, use it over the…

The evolution of lighting has taken another giant leap forward with the introduction of LED bulbs. This old technology has been made new and effective recently with advances in technology. You may notice even the city has been upgrading and replacing streetlights with new, modern LED lights – something they never did with CFLs. If you’re home is still running CFLs or even incandescent bulbs – you’re living in the past! An expensive, inefficient past at that. Now is the…

Spring is in the air, and with it comes spring cleaning and spring projects! Many of which require electricity. Perhaps you want to setup a woodshop in your shed, or put a power post in your yard to plug in that whipper snipper. Today we’ll discuss properly running electrical power to your shed, or to a power post in your yard using rigid conduit lines. So throw away that extension cord (that you’ve mowed over several times) – and let’s…

Well, it seems spring has finally sprung here in beautiful Nova Scotia! The snow is shifting to rain – and I even saw a handful of motorcycles out and about over the weekend. Now that the wet season is upon us, here’s a few tips to stay safe as you start digging out the weed wacker and other electrical gizmos. Keep electrical equipment and cords away from water – Avoid shock or electrocution by always keeping electricity and water as…

With the controversy surrounding the big tidal turbine in the Bay of Fundy, perhaps we as a province should look into Ocean Wave Power. Waves are a clean and renewable sources of energy with an astonishing potential for generating electricity. Unlike solar and wind, which are only available about 50% of the time – ocean waves can be harnessed about 90% of the day. If properly funded, explored and exploited, the steady waves of the ocean could meet roughly half…

Nova Scotia is leading the charge in marine renewable energy, being the first in North America to begin collecting tidal power in the Bay of Fundy. The large tidal turbine installed in November of 2016 is now powering over 500 homes in the province. At a cost of 30 million, it’s been an expensive experiment so far – but 70% of that budget was spent in the Maritimes, giving a boost to local businesses. On the other side of the…

Continuing our exploration into innovative, green energy sources, today we’re going to take a look at the ever-changing landscape of wind power. Though the iconic and hypnotic giant towers with three spinning blades represent wind power to most of us – that’s about to change. Several companies are working on new paradigm-shifting ideas for harnessing the power of the wind. In Spain, a little company called Vortex is looking to design wind generators that produce renewable energy without blades. Their…

Here are some great Winter tips for everyone, regardless of their heating source! Get a heating system tune-up Keeping your heating system in top-shape will ensure you get efficient performance out of every dollar you spend on heating this winter. Open and close your drapes Open curtains and shades when the sun is out to warm your home. Close them when the sun goes down to reduce heat loss through drafty windows. Turn down the thermostat Bundle up at night…

Continuing our series of tips and tricks for various heating systems, this week we’ll be focusing on HEAT PUMPS. These little gems have gained massively in popularity over the past few years here in Nova Scotia and all across the Maritimes in general. This is due in part to better technology that allows them to operate in a wider temperature range, as well as the low cost to run. They use differences in outdoor and indoor temperatures to work their…

Wow. What a Winter it’s been so far here in Nova Scotia – and we haven’t even seen any snow yet!! My power is out right now due to high winds and rain, just as it was on Christmas Day just a couple of short weeks ago. With our changing climate and oddball weather here lately, it may be time to invest in a GENERATOR. These great devices allow you to power your home when the local utility lets you…